green LA girl

Coffee against landmines

Posted by Siel in caffeine, fairtrade, feminist/politics (Sunday May 21, 2006 at 12:34 pm)

As if coffee farmers don’t have enough challenges getting their coffee to the market, some have to contend with — landmines.

According to the Coffeelands Landmine Survivor’s Trust, 6 of the world’s top 10 coffee producers are affected by landmines: Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Uganda, and Vietnam. (The list looks like it’s recently shrunk to 5; According to the US govt, the situation in Guatemala completed landmine clearance late last year. Go here for an updated world map.)

What’s the Coffeelands Landmine Survivor’s Trust? It’s basically a project of The Polus Center for Social and Economic Development, a Massachusetts nonprofit serving and advocating for disabled and other disenfranchised populations, funded in part by a grant from the US Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

The Survivor’s Trust encourages the global coffee industry — producers, importers, and distributors -– to support mine action, with a particular emphasis on aiding mine survivors. Specifically, coffee roasters can give back to coffee growing communities plagued with landmines, both through direct grants and through advocacy and involvement with other international organizations experienced in landmine removal, mine risk education, and survivor assistance.

One of the most heartwarming stories comes out of Nicaragua, where the 100% fair trade Dean’s Beans has been hard at work. Working with the Polus Center, Dean’s Beans created a cafe and roasterie in Leon called Puerto Cafe-Benjamin Linder.

This shop’s owned and operated by Walking Unidos, a prosthetics clinic that gives free limbs and therapy to landmine victims and the poor, free of charge. Dean’s Beans donated money to get the clinic started too.

You can get involved by educating yourself and others, donating funds or volunteering your time — and you can always support Dean’s Beans work by buying their coffee for your morning brew :)

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Comments

2 comments for Coffee against landmines »

  1. You can find more information on who Ben Linder was here. When I lived in Nicaragua, I met each Thursday morning with the progressive ex-pat crowd at the Casa Ben Linder. They’ve been meeting there since 1988, and they keep Ben’s memory very much alive.

    Comment by esteban — May 22, 2006 @ 5:10 am

  2. Thanks for the link, esteban :)

    Comment by Siel — May 25, 2006 @ 12:02 am

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